England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
